NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
"The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt
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NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. "The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt |
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EDUCATION
September 4, 2008
Public Hearing to focus on Special Education & School District Mandate Relief
On Tuesday, September 9th,
Governor David A. Paterson and Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi will hold a public hearing on property taxes that will focus on Special Education & School District Mandate Relief. There will be one hour of public comment. Long Islanders for Education Reform will be represented by Graham Kerby and Anita Mac Doughall who will deliver a special education presentation.
The meeting will take
place at the Nassau County Executive building’s Theodore Roosevelt
Ceremonial Chamber, 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501. The meeting
will begin at 12:30 PM and end at 3:00PM.
The
public comment portion will begin at 2:30PM. Anyone wishing to comment must
fill out a card by 12 noon in order to speak.
Press_Release from Long Islanders for Education Reform
June 17, 2008
UPDATE:
Members of Long Islanders for Education Reform (LIFER) and good government groups across the state met with Governor Patterson today to discuss the Commission on Property Tax Relief's recommendation to enact a tax cap. The Governor held a news conference in which he endorsed the tax cap and called on the legislature to pass this much needed tax relief measure.June 2, 2008
New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief recommends tax cap. Report seen as encouraging.
An initial analysis by the Long Islanders for Education reform found the report by the NY State Commission on Property Tax Relief to be taxpayer friendly and a giant step in the right direction. While the report contained many positive aspects, there is some concern over the recommendation to alter the STAR program once the tax cap is enacted. The new STAR "circuit breaker" provision would be based on income and ability to pay. While the tax cap would help to restrain property tax growth for all taxpayers, many middle class taxpayers may not qualify under the circuit breaker provision for actual tax relief.
The Commission made the following recommendations pertaining to a tax cap:
-Tax levies would be limited to 4 percent a year, or 120 percent of the rate of inflation, whichever is less. This year It would have been 3.36 %.
-A tax levy exceeding the cap in any given year would require approval by at least 55 % of district residents in an "override" vote. If state aid to the district is increasing by 5%, the super-majority requirement for override approval would be raised to 60 %. Districts would no longer need to seek voter approval for annual budget proposals that do not exceed the tax levy cap.
The voters also could petition the school board for an "under-ride" referendum to reduce the cap below the statutory amount ( similar to the Fitzpatrick bill).
-The report also includes an ingenious provision allowing districts to "bank" unused cap room -- thus giving them an incentive not to automatically hike taxes as far as the cap would allow every year. But they cannot "withdraw" from their bank any more than an added 1.5% a year. This actually IMPROVES on the Massachusetts Prop 2.5 law.
There are several other positive aspects, of which the two most significant
are the following:
The report recommends reform of the Triborough provision to eliminate automatic step increases after a contract has expired. It also recommends new disclosure and transparency guidelines requiring districts to make public details of teacher contracts and their impacts.
LIFER responds to opposition by New York State Teachers Union.
Click here for press release and NYSUT letterJanuary 2, 2008
LIFER endorses Assembly bill to address School Tax crisis
A bill to address out of control spending by school districts was introduced by Assembly member Mike Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown). The New York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act (A08775) will provide the following reforms:
ü Caps School tax increases at the lower of inflation or 4%
ü Superintendents and treasurers would sign school district financials and be criminally and civilly liable
ü New state mandates would be paid for by the state
ü Budgets and contracts would to be publicly posted at least a month in advance
ü School districts would be permitted to pool together to purchase less expensive medical insurance
The bill was endorsed by Long Islanders for Education Reform. For more information and to see what you can do, click here.
New York state property taxpayers protection act
September 18, 2007
Please call the NYS Legislature to support the Educational Tax Incentives Act!
The NYS legislature will return for a special session at the end of this month or in October. This bill (S.3627-A/A.6432-A) would encourage public donations to public and private schools by granting partial tax credits for the donation. It would also grant tax credits to teachers (and parents who home school their children) for the purchase of classroom supplies and other material. For more information, click the link below. Call your legislator toll free at 1-800-525-2846.
September 27, 2006
Suffolk Grand Jury Report critical of lucrative benefit packages to school administrators, calls for legislative changes, recommends citizen oversight before school boards okay generous salary and benefit deals.
Entire Grand Jury Report ...
http://www.co.Suffolk.ny.us/da/press/pdf/GrandJurySD.pdf
Grand Jury Recommendations ...
http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/da/press/2006/Recommendations.pdf
Press release ...
http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/da/press/2006/09_25_06.html
We are gratified that the Grand Jury adopted many of our reform proposals recommended back in July 2004 School District Financial Reform.
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September 11, 2006 Public Forum on school taxes at Hofstra University Saturday September 16, 2006 High Taxes on Long Island: What are the options? Long Island's high taxes and what can be done about them will be the subject of a public forum bringing together concerned citizens and expert panelists to be held Saturday, Sept. 16 at Room 114, Studio A, of Dempster Hall, 111 Hofstra University. The forum, held from noon to 2:30, is aimed at promoting a productive dialogue about the tax issue and generating feasible solutions for voters and candidates to consider heading into this years elections. Panelists will be responding to questions and comments generated by citizen focus groups (including a representative of the NCCA) to be held earlier the same day at Hofstra. The panel will feature Patrick Halpin, executive director of the Institute for Student Achievement; Richard V. Guardino Jr., executive dean of Hofstra's Center for Suburban Studies; Lisa Tyson, director of the Long Island Progressive Coalition; Pearl Kamer, economist with the Long Island Association; and Elaine Gross, president of Erase Racism. The discussion will be moderated by Larry Levy, the host of WLIWs Face-Off program and a Newsday columnist. The forum is the first in a series happening across the state as part of the New York Matters project organized by the Center for Governmental Research in Rochester. Click here for more information. Note: This forum will air on WLIW Channel 21 on Thursday, November 2, 2006 at 7:30pm |
April 10, 2006
The Nassau County Civic Association, Inc has joined with LIFER (Long Islanders for Educational Reform) to improve our educational system and reduce the high burden of school taxes. The April 6th Meeting held at the Hilton Hotel in Melville was a big success. The Forum, "Albany's Role in the School Tax Problem" brought out a large audience from Elmont in Nassau to the Hamptons in Suffolk and was widely reported in the press. Since the meeting, several state lawmakers have expressed interest in some of the reform proposals. Please see the meeting page for details.
Frequently Asked Questions about Education in America
Facts about Abstinence
Education
The Promise Of No Child Left Behind
Bush's Five Year Education Plan
Reprinted With Permission From The Cato Institute
http://www.cato.org
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| Bellmore-Merrick Code of Conduct for Central High School District (Mepham Scandal) |
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Copyright 2003-2008, Nassau County Civic Association, Inc.
